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Handling-Machine
The Handling-Machine is a machine created by the Martians and used during their invasion of earth. It is crab-like in appearance, with 6 legs and claws. It is small in stature compared to the tripods. In the book it's main function is to construct and disassemble things. 'Handling-machine in other media' The Handling Machine has a key role in Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds. It has 6 legs, 2 claws, two green eyes and a basket, in order to collect humans from Earth (Unlike in the novel, where the Tripods take this role). In Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds (1998 Video Game), the Handling Machines role changes again - being the Martians main construction unit tasked with creating Martian buildings. The game also features a new machine called the Electric Machine, which appears to be partially based off the Handling Machine's design. 'Comic' In Superman: War of the Worlds the Handling Machines also make an appearance - albeit with some differences from their original design. The Handling machines in the comic are used by the Martians to guard humans and other captives in their pens / concentration camps, while the machines themselves are six-legged with claws on the end of tentacles. However, they are not much taller than humans and the Martians piloting them are visible and exposed with seemingly no cover. Furthermore, they do not have a basket for capturing humans as that function is given to the Tripods in the comic. Handling machines also appear in the dark horse comic version of HG wells war of the worlds, these handling machines look very similar to the tripods and are seen building machines and draining human blood. 'In film' Only two films to date feature handling machines, with the rest of the films either not featuring them at all or combining them with the Fighting-Machines, such as in the Spielberg version: Pendragon Pictures' H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds: The handling-machine in this version is an almost perfect adaptation of the one in the book. It is relatively small - being slightly taller than humans - and is scorpion like in appearance. In War of the Worlds: Goliath, a smaller tripod with a different design to the Fighting Machines (its appearance been more like the Martian Taxi from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds) but with a similar function to the Handling Machine is seen in the Martian Factory. In the factory, they are shown transporting captured humans in cages that hang from their backs. The cages themselves appear to be made of a fleshy membrane-like substance that the Martians can control, as upon reaching the room where they store their captives they use their tentacles to remove the cage from their backs and merge it with larger cages that hang from the ceiling. When they require a human, the cage will open seemingly at their will (it isn't known if the material responds to them through telepathy or other means). The Handling Machines in the film don't possess a large Heat Ray cannon like the Fighting Machines, but can fire heat rays from some of their tentacles. Furthermore, they don't have claws; their tentacles been used to grab humans and also possessing a probe that enter's a victim's mouth before draining their blood. While their amour is suitable in deflecting gunfire, they can still be destroyed by a handheld heat ray cannon or - as evidenced by A.R.E.S. Lieutenant Raja Iskandar Shah's actions - repeated strikes with a sharp object such as a knife against the screen can shatter it; leaving the Martian pilot exposed and vulnerable. Gallery HandFBS_op_800x491-1-.jpg|Pendragon Pictures' handling-machine. War_of_the_worlds_wayne_2007_1_x.jpg|A Handling-machine in jeff wayne's version of the war of the worlds. Dead.London.Machine.jpg|The Handling-Machine from the artists illustration in the album. 'External links' Wikipedia:Handling-machine Category:Martian Machines Category:Martian Technology Category:Jeff Wayne